It wasn’t a Coup – Salva Kiir shot himself in the foot

Sometimes ago I wrote on the SouthSudanNation website and made the conclusion that “the SPLM must be saved from itself lest it plunged the country into the abyss.” The events of the last two weeks seem to vindicate this prophetic statement. South Sudan is on the brink.

The current crisis started last year when Dr. Riek Machar, the SPLM first vice Chairman, declared his intention to contest for the SPLM Chairmanship – itself his democratic right, and was soon joined by Pagan Amum the SPLM Secretary General and Madame Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior member of the SPLM Political Bureau.

Instead of taking charge of the emerging situation as the SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir allowed matters to slide taking their course until the country was woken up to a presidential decree withdrawing delegated powers from Dr. Riek Machar.

Sooner thereafter more presidential decrees followed dismissing Dr. Riek Machar as Vice President, dissolving the cabinet and suspending the SPLM Secretary General and subjecting him to criminal investigation over corruption charges.

In the intervening period, two opposing trends emerged in the SPLM. The group in the government and that outside made up of most of the dismissed ministers and two unconstitutionally dismissed governors of Lakes and Unity states respectively. Efforts to reconcile the different trends came to nothing.

Finally, Dr. Riek Machar and group called the shots and on December 6th called a press conference in the SPLM House in whey they outlined the main differences and called on the SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit to convene the Political Bureau in order to set the agenda for the anticipated National Liberation Council.

Dr Riek Machar also announced the public rally the group would hold on Saturday December 14th on Dr, John Garang Memorial Grounds. The SPLM General Secretariat also scheduled that day for the opening of the session of the National Liberation Council. The two SPLM groups seem gearing towards a collision.

This prompted the Dinka elders’ and the Church leaders to appeal to the two sides to postpone both the public rally and the NLC meeting and to give dialogue between the two a chance in order to reach a consensus on the contentious issues. Dr. Riek Machar et al acquiesced and released a statement to that effect.

The NLC meeting, however, started as scheduled on Saturday morning. His Grace Paulino Lokudu Loro, the Catholic Archbishop of Juba reiterated the appeal the Bishops had made earlier and called for calm and harmony.

In his opening speech, the SPLM Chairman made no reference to the internal contradictions that hampered the party functions since March and how to resolve them amicably.

On the contrary, he was bellicose, ignored the appeal of the Archbishop and deliberately referred to the 1991 split within the SPLM/SPLA as a reminder. In this context, I quote the following:

“in the light of the recent development in which some comrades have come out to challenge my executive decisions, I must warn you that this behaviour is tantamount to indiscipline, which will take us back to the days of the 1991 split.”

Chairman Salva Kiir apparently referred to Dr. Riek Machar ostensibly to put him in unfavourable light among the membership of the NLC and to discredit his demands for democratic reforms in the SPLM. This perhaps prompted Riek, Rebecca Nyandeng, and others to boycott the Sunday meeting incensing Salva Kiir into a frenzy, which became the most tragic incident in post war South Sudan.

On Sunday afternoon as the meeting of the NLC was winding up, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Commander in Chief of the SPLA, ordered Major General Marial Ciennoung, the commander of Tiger Battalion to leave the meeting venue in Nyakuron back to his H/Qs and to disarm his troops. Marial went and implemented the orders.

However, after dispersing the troops, he ordered the Dinka elements rearmed. The ensuing argument between him and his deputy, a Nuer, attracted the attention of some Nuer soldiers who happened to be nearby. A fistfight ensued between the storekeeper and some Nuer soldiers.

In the confusion, the Nuer soldiers broke into the store and armed themselves. This was the trigger of the fighting in Juba. It was a fight between the elements of the same Tiger Battalion, which makes the presidential guards, that lasted from Sunday night till Monday afternoon.

The rest of the fighting in other parts of Juba, which lasted until Wednesday was the presidential militia terrorising and butchering the Nuers, other Dinka elements presumed to be supporters of Riek Machar, Rebecca Nyandeng and Majak de Agoot.

On Monday, President Salva Kiir called a press conference. Clad in complete military attire, the President declared it was a coup and that the loyal forces has crushed it and were now pursuing the remnants.

The linkage of the fighting among the presidential guards to an attempted coup against the state carried by the president’s press briefing makes an incredibly clumsy story.

The absurdity of the coup story comes out clearly, with the deployment of the presidential militia hailing mainly from Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal, who indeed are killing unarmed Nuers soldiers, civilians including women and children in Juba, on the presumption that they were Riek Machar’s supporters, that Salva Kiir inadvertently is pushing the country to the brink.

In Juba, many innocent Nuers, some of them government official, members of the NLC, but the majority are civilians women, youths, students and persons from other ethnicities have been executed either in their own houses or are taken under guise of being arrested and killed in ghost houses run by the National Security and Intelligence Service elements in the town. Their bodies buried in several mass-graves secretly by night.

Many people, including the Hon. Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly, whose children missed death by a whisker having been saved by a Dinka woman MP shocked by the killings in the neighbourhood, have run to the UNMISS compound for protection.

Many Nuers have left their homes and have gone to UNMISS or are hiding in the hotels in Juba.

In Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity states reprisals against elements of the Dinka nationality have been reported targeting those hailing from Bahr el Ghazal.

In Warrap state those who were calling for the removal of Governor Nyandeng have been branded coup plotters linked to Dr. Riek Machar.

There is a direct link between the events now unfolding and Salva Kiir’s power perceptions. When he toured the four states of Bahr el Ghazal in September, Salva Kiir made hate speeches against his former deputy Dr. Riek Machar and the former ministers.

In Akon, his hometown, speaking in Dinka, which SSTV aired, Salva had this to say, “…look, this power which I have belongs to you. You fought and died for it… now some people want to snatch it from me… we you accept it?” “Aci ba gam” meaning we will not accept, shouted the people back.

It was in this context of retaining power that he ordered Paul Malong Awan to recruit and bring to Juba three thousand young men, which now constitutes his presidential guards.

Now putting together the pieces, a clearer picture begins to emerge.

President Salva has been planning to forestall any democratic reforms in and institutionalization of power relations in the SPLM soon after July 23rd when he dissolved the cabinet and dismissed Riek Machar.

The recruitment of presidential militia from Warrap was to send home the message that power belonged to the people of Warrap and so they should protect it. The story of the coup was just a stratagem to cover his rejection of the appeal by the Church leaders and Dinka elders, and a ploy to arrest Riek Machar and close the chapter of dissent against his leadership.

The arrest of the former ministers was also to accelerate their removal from the government houses they are occupying in Hai Amarat. It is a very simplistic but dangerous game.

In a matter of a few hours, Salva Kiir succeeded to erode the social capital that bounded together our people for centuries.

Now Salva Kiir has come up with another story that it was not a coup attempt but that Dr. Riek and others had wanted to exploit the fighting in the Tiger Battalion for their political ambitions.

Salva Kiir has shot himself in the foot. This is incredible, President Kiir who on Monday was on TV screens worldwide announcing that his forces had crushed an attempt coup is now saying that it was not a coup.

Who again will ever believe Salva Kiir, the president of the Republic of South Sudan? God save South Sudan!!!!

55 Comments

Thank you Dr. Aduok Nyaba, Professor, for making that chronological explanation to what happened in Juba. This is exactly what has happened, Benydit shot himself in the leg. When one is power hungry, he or she forgets the repercussions one’s actions. We fought for democracy and the country is at brink of chaos because somebody thinks power must remain there for life. Where does this happen in real situation.
I saw the president telling people to stand up for a moment of silence to honor nelson Mandela’s passing, adding he was a peace icon; what did he learn from him.

It is not a surprise to see that this st…. PhD holder is preaching hatred here, Dr Adwok is allegedly one of the people who did mess to this country. All the members of his family (wife, daughters and sons) are employees of this government. He was dismissed because of his alleged rampant corruption in the ministry.
Those Ministries dismissed are
1 – Deng Alor, allegedly involved in serious crime by authorizing the Minister of finance to release millions of USD.
2- Gier Chuong, allegedly involved in serious crime to eating the money released to purchase the guns to the Police and looted the GEMTEL and all companies.
3-Dr Cirino, allegedly looted money allocated to purchase Embassy buildings in 10 countries and serious corruption case against him when he was minister in the office of the president.
4-Dr Adwok allegedly involved in students’ allowances and building of the five universities.he diverted all money into his personal account
5- Nyandeng allegedly involved in the roads construction millions of USD got missing and documents are there.

I am sorry for your mentality will take you nowhere. Even in America cows are there and why don’t Americans have conflict? This means that has nothing to do with cows and their mentality, it is something to do with some of you who feel that you’re educated yet you do not know wrong from right. Sorry for yo guy!

We are all larmed with the unfolding situation in Juba and the lost of many innocent lives is deeply regreted. Some of us in the diaspora were already worried when the president excised his power excessively by disolving the cabinets. It is true that the fact needs to be told because it is only the truth that will set us free. The incident in Juba as you have narrated was not a coup but the president ploy and tactic to humilate his oponents. But his plan went awry wrong and it is a mistake of the president that needs to be condemed in the strongest term. To call it a coup and again changed the statement after informing the world that it was, is it a political gamble.

Too much has been invested in south Sudan and to see it slide again into a war is a shame. I am sure Omar Beshir must be a happy man,laughting and saying “I told you, this south Sudanese can not rule themselves.” And to bring presideny Museveni into the picture as a meadiator is just adding more fuel into the fire. Museveni is a big daddy of president Salva Kiir and they sing the same song ” Aci ba gam” and his presence in south Sudan is a win for Salvar Kiir.

Dr. Adwok, we must condemn the incident in Juba because it is not only a Dinka/ Nuer issue but the problem of south Sudan which is orchestrated by the president. The picking of innocent ex-ministers and putting them into detention, moving of republican guards from house to house and murdering innocent Nuer in cold blood is a clear evident of a hidden motives. If it was only a misunderstanding between the republican guards alone why hunts for innocent civilians especially Nuer at homes? I am sure after finishing with the Nuer, the jieng will turn their arms on other tribes because of “ACI BA GAM.” Although we need peace in south Sudan badly and no bloodshed, don’t you think another liberation movement is at hand?

I salute you very much with your utmost INTEGRITY! Take care! Stay save! HONESTY STOPS ANGER! I very much admire your excellent explanation most!

My fellow compatriots Southerner must be told first,and foremost-that,the problem in the country, it has nothing to do with two tribes in the South Sudan government Dinka,and Nuer. This is South Sudanese problem by themselves alone! The matter in the party was very simple indeed! It could not brought the blood to people! But-the chairman in the party President Salva Kirr,who caused the blood! Dr.Riak,did not angry at him when the President dissolved the cabinets in the government and him the Vice President.He said before that President Kirr has the right to remove him base on constitution. What Dr.Peter Adwok,had said,in his new update,is very TRUE!

But my good advise must go to all leaders not-to bring a tribal violence in the government institutions! Riak Machar,is now in the bush,he should not allow the soldiers to do atrocities against Dinka tribe and non Dinka tribes in the South if they are Kirr supporters! I need this matter to be HALT IMMEDIATELY! Let him make a peace with the government with President Kirr so that he can come back home! Let us give DEMOCRACY A CHANCE! KILLING OURSELVES ALONE IN THE SOUTH,IS VERY WRONG!!!!

Dr. Peter ADwok NYaba,
the story is absolutely true from the beginning up to the last point. we the professional people following up everything that happen in south sudan and analysis it in to the reality.
Kirr is incomplete president on earth. your gronp also ensures that people of Rebeca NYadeng are not being touch in Bor conflict ensure theirs safety and protection and we are behind. and therefore tell your group not to except any deal while kirr still in the power” he will assassinated you one by one and bribery back those who like money so much among your group members, because kirr is using divided to rule policy.
according to the Nuer website the Nuer why have been killed by kirr security-guards are between 8000 to 9000 thousand people.
kirr must step down by all mean that is our motto, if you mis handle it than make no single Nuer will support Riek Machar and groups an more because it will be seen like bribing his people back for the power.
i know some Dinka do not know Nuer well this is why situation in juba was so long for many days. but we have women and men who will product any Nuer men.

@ Bentiu tonight,
I am happy that I met you on SSN, I got your filthy comments on Sudantribune and I didn’t have time to reply.
I know that you are a Nuer, and if you are intellectual as you claim, you need to realize that south Sudan is a democratic country and any attempt to oust a democratic elected president and government is unacceptable. Rest assured that power can not be snatched away by force from Salva Kiir because Riak Machar comes from Nuer and hence Nuer people will support him, this is very idiotic calculations and will not work.
You Nuer should think twice before executing that strategy. worst case scenario may follow if you don’t change your minds and become a true nationals.

you are absolutely right and I appreciate your article. all in all let Kiir militia be responsible for the death of those innocent Nuer, but shame to those Nuers who still attracted by Kiir bloody money such us James Kok and Dr riek Gai. their days are numbered.

Chief Abiko
you might be having many reasons to defend this, but before that, my question is Why do people worry of what type of revenge will Nuer as tribe do than conderming the massacre done to innocent Nuer in Juba????

Don’t you feel shame on your biasses??? or you think those who were killed have got no relatives???? Please revisit Nuer website and convene your kinsmen that Nuer revenge 10 peoples with 1000 persons.

Please don’t celebrate yet. The land of South Sudan will never accommodate Riek Machar, Peter gatdet and Kiir Mayardit. Please know that you are not dealing with Dinka. You are dealing with the so called Muonyjang and you better know what that means in Jieng language. Someone between Riek Machar, peter Gatdet and kiir Mayardit will leave south Sudan for good. Take my word and let us wait and see. Why did Riek flee from Juba? What kind of leader that ran away from another leader? Or a man from another man?

This is the second time your leaders Dr. Riek Machar, General Peter Gatdet Yak and Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba staged the Coup and ran away from Kiir Mayardit. The Mighty Muonyjang does not like the hit and run war, however it can revenge 1000 of their love ones for 100,000 pure-combatant men should the cowards and culprits are willing to fight head on. Please stay foot. I will visit you in Bor shortly.

Lukudu, I am afraid you are the very people who have massacred women and children in Juba using public money! I hope as you pursue Machar, you will soon meet your maker! South Sudan is tired of you and does need you anymore! It is your likes that destroy this country! I pray this time around you do not make it!

Mr. Nyaba,
Your group did NOT help the cause of the common man in South Sudan. Coup or not, you all have blood in your hands. The innocent are dying and will continue to die because of your irresponsibility. It doesn’t matter how much anyone tries to twist the current situation to their advantage by assigning blame to the other group, poor citizens need a way out of this. Period.
Insisting and calling for more violent solution to the current mess does not put your group in the best light you have been trying to sell to the public. Are you really in touch with Riek? You have a lot of image cleansing to do if that was made your role.
You can not keep on saying one thing and your leader continues to carry out atrocities on civilians outside Juba in other states as well as resisting international intervention but continue to issue violent threats instead. If Kiir’s militia carried out selective killing of Nuer civilians in Juba as claimed, why are Riek’s forces and militia attacking and killing Dinka in Unity and Jonglei states if Riek is any better?
Where is his leadership that you are talking about? Is he aspiring to govern a Nuer only nation?

Upiu, perhaps you didn’t understand the content of the article and just so it can be drilled into your thick head IT IS YOUR STUPID PRESIDENT CARRYING OUT THE MASSACRE ON INNOCENT SOUTH SUDANESE NOT THE SO CALLED COUP PLOTTERS. PLEASE UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO THE ARTICLE WITH CLEAR OBJECTIVE. HE IS THE ONE REMINDING SOUTH SUDAN OF WHAT TOOK PLACE IN 1991 AND NOW CAN’T FACE THE WORLD TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.

It was war crimes and crimes against humanity masterminded by Kiir. After applying it in Murleland for 3 years now using Nuer and Dinka against Murle, now he turned against Nuer in Juba. Salva Kiir is a criminal

Your false story is widely clear but president Kiir will not go down as you release propaganda stories. Listen to me, you are fully stupid in thinking Dr. Riak Machar cannot lead you for more than five years without rebellion you made you Shuluk people, you are minority tribes amongst 64 tribes in south sudan and you are talking foolishly, please, please Aduok, you will never get anything better in your lifetime, during civil war, Shuluk and Nuer were refugees in Khartoum hiding themselves because of war.
Dinkas now are not in favor of tribal but they are depending the country with its visitors coming from various countries. Aduok, your plan has failed, God will will see you and the others.

If this statement (“Now Salva Kiir has come up with another story that it was not a coup attempt but that Dr. Riek and others had wanted to exploit the fighting in the Tiger Battalion for their political ambitions”) is true, then Kiir is done.

Adwok Nyaba,
Your article is so contraidicted as it is my first time to hear a plain lie from somebody who has a title of a Professor and who have been serving in the same government for the last eight years without injecting his different opinion or challenging the style of their governance while in the system.
Funny enough, I have never heard an armied soldiers being defeated by the disarmied soldiers until the bare-handed soldiers manage to take the control of weapons and ammunitions stores and pushed back latter by the armies loyal to president after the bare-handed soldiers who ‘re loyal to Dr. Riek equiped themselves with more military equipments.
Adwok! You have understimated South Sudanese’s civility in analysing some articles which are so much motivated by interests and tribalistics like what you have just posted.
God what happen to our educated people unlike to the other part of the world, why do you let these national assets being driven by their interest, hatred and jealousy????
Is this the legacy that should be followed and practice by the current and future generations??
FYI, Dr. Riek is still rejecting peaceful dialogue offered by President Kiir and instead he insists and calls for the SPLM and SPLA to push Kiir out of the throne which he believes as the only solution to peace in South Sudan’s current crisis.

Dr. peter
I appreciate the explanations of all this.
I was born & raise in that juba for the whole of my life. but I don’t understand why mr president is doing this to the citizens. now is crying for losing control of bor town. what does he expects the nuer to do when he was in juba with his slaughters killing the nuer’s house to house even children & graduates whom have just graduated this november from kampala universities? what a lost & a mess for this nation. he must go b4 its late.

Dr adwok; the question is; if the fighting was at battion of tiger; y then had it errupted at bilpam ? Secondly , y was Dr.riek and group became gloomy in Nlc meeting ? U have covered up some pressing points that Hon . Martin madut put rightly on sstv ; u will only deceive the diaspora but us who r in the field. Y do not u tell the readers about the questions Dr.riek and Taban raised in the meeting which ncl members denied and that angered them became quite till the first day meeting finished ; and when made them to abstained from coming at 3 pm on the following day; what is remaining now dr. Peter is not to play blame but how leaders should be pacified through dialogue ; instil a great deal of faith in investors who have just returned to their respective countries upon finishing the conference. Even if i am Dinka by tribe ; i stronger believe that Nuer will rule this country in future because they are citizens of this nation; kiir will not rule forever nor will any replacement will; power can be obtained by any one who meets its requirements. You focus your attention on how to pacify tribes ; leaders etc thru your writings otherwise wasting time to narrate incorrect events that lead to coup will take us no where. May God bless south sudanese .

To me, both. Guys have their personal (tribal) differences which caused the death of the innocent civilians. But both should know that tribal issues should end up in their various states not to extend to foreign states otherwise if the worst comes they will regret.

I doubt whether the name matches with your words?? Ok, which once came first; Nuer massacre in juba or Bor & Bentiu retaliation??? 4000 innocent civilians were murdered in cool blood by Kiir cattle camp raiders who claimed to be SPLA without poor Kiir condemning. Is this a president or tribal man???
Kiir should died like a man not like a woman because his sickness was not injected into his blood by anyone rather. it is his recklessness of f….. every women in juba that will lead him into the grave.

Other development today, how can president use foreign force against his innocent people??? what is the relationship between Uganda army and South Sudan affairs?? who will be responsible for the death of innocent civilians who were killed today in Bor capital by Ugandan airforce????

Mr Kiir’s plans were abundantly clear right from the very beginning .What I would ,in short, say is that most of the Equatorians’ leaders are cowards to join the rest of South Sudanese people committed to putting to an end the cancerous disease -the ”DINKOCRACY”. Even, if the tyrant gets rid of all pro-democracy, peace loving South Sudanese, it will not still solve all our problems . People will still fight!!

If what happened in Juba was not a Coup and you and Riek Machar were not aware or part of it, Then Why did you guys run away? Sir, you had managed to fool Rebecca Nyadeng, Chol Tong Mayay, Gier Chuoang, Deng Alor Kuol, Madut Biar and Majak D’Agot to stage a Coup against president Kiir Mayardit. However you will never fool or play with our minds on this forum. Those thugs were after their personal ambitions such as Bread and ministerial positions. They never knew that you and Riek Machar had been plotting to revenge on Dinka due to your failed coup attempt in 1991. You can write day and night, fabricating lies to justify your failed coup attempt as you did in 1991. What will you and your political prophet Dr. Riek Machar do next after the failing of two Coup attempts against the leadership of Muonyjang “Dinka” in South Sudan?

The history of South Sudan would prove you wrong. You and Dr.Lam Akol have been attempting all these years to use Nuer against Dinka for your own political gains. If people go to school to learn and become big instigators for the tribal hatreds and wars, then Why would someone wast his/her time and resources going to school? I wonder, When will a chollo or Nuer PHD holder do something nice,positive.constructive and beneficial to the people of South Sudan without compromising their lives and safety?

The SSN Editor in Chief, Dr. Peter Wankomo had advised you, Dr. Riek Machar and the likes to form a new political party instead of wasting time and resources fighting over the SPLM Party with president Kiir Mayardit and his political allies. You ignored his wise advice and primitively plotted to stage a coup against the government of president Kiir Mayardit.

If you and Dr.Riek Machar think you have more royalty and allegiance to the SPLM and do not want to give it for president Kiir Mayardit and his allies, then Why did you betray it and abandon it in 1991? Dr. Nyaba, the land of South Sudan and the innocent lives lost in your Coup of 1991 and 2013 will curse you and follow you wherever you go on this planet. After all these mess and confusion, Will you and Riek Machar ever lead or be regarded as loyal and legitimate members of the SPLM? Why are you and Dr.Riek Machar still hiding if you are not truly part of the Coup?

PS: Please know that there is no such an expression or word as Aci Ba Gam in Dinka language. Perhaps you heard the word or expression as this Aci bi gam which means “He will never accept it” or Aca bi gam which means “I will never accept it” or Acuk bi gam which means “We will never accept it”. I’m just correcting the language but whatever expression or term you heard from the rally was right and that is precisely what happened in Juba on Sunday, December 15th, 2013. They have indeed kept their promises and allegiance to their president, therefore they foiled your long plotted and awaited Coup. Please listen to Dr. Peter Wankomo next time. We would have avoided all these messes and lost of innocent lives and hiding if you and Riek Machar had taken his wise advice to form a brand new party.

Hello South Sudan,
you had a great chance to start as the youngest state of the world and with the chance to have a great future. With the river Nile you could two harvest per year, you have oil and without war you could also have game. There are millions of people aroudn the world paying a lot of money to see game outside a zoo! But I have the impression killing and loosing billions of dollar is more popular in South Sudan. Every year in the dry season one tribe is killing another tribe and vis versa. One “general” is reintegrated in the SPLA and then is splitting again. I spend more then one year in South Sudan, leaving my family behind because I thought it is good to support you to become a new and peaceful state with a future. But if I read the news and hear people in South Sudan i have the impression I wasted my time! Could you imagine that there are people saying: Build a fence around this country, drop weapons and wait until they have killed each other and then build up a new place for agriculture, tourism and become rich!”
What I also realised is that you were on people while there was the North, now the North is separated by a border (I know this issue is not solved 100%) and now you are no one people anymore. And the most pervert thing is, that there are now people starting to kill UN personnel which helped you to become an independent state!
A very disappointed man wasted one year of his life in supporting South Sudan doing suicide.

FROM EDITOR: THAT’S A TRULY A BITTER FEELING WHICH INCIDENTALLY IS SHARED BY MANY SOUTH SUDANESE ALSO. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR WEALTH IS ALSO OUR CURSE, MANY FOREIGNERS LIKE YOU FLOODED OUR COUNTRY ONLY TO EXTRACT OUR RESOURCES. WAR OR NO WAR, WE ARE FOREVER VICTIMS TO FOREIGN EXPLOITATION, WHETHER WE ARE KILLING OURSELVES OR NOT.

But since 09. July 2011 your are a sovereign country. So you decide which companie is extracting your resources. RMeaning that there are people on the right position accepting the offer from foreign companies/ countries and are signing contracts.
One other example. I was witness to a chat between someone from India and a governor of one of your states. The guy from India asked the governor: “Why are you not using the land next to the river Nile for agriculture?” The answer was: “We do not have enough tractors!”
Could you imagine the surprised face of the guy from India. He just said: “We are using oxen and other animals instead of a tractor!”
Another observation I made during my year in your wonderful country. When I visited markets in Upper Nile State, Eastern Equatorial State, in Juba and other places, I realised that most of the shop owners were people from neighboring countries or Arabic origins. Are they the only ones willing to work and earn money? This impression a visitor could get.
And you can not give the foreigners the guilt for the killing! As long as your are not one people and speaking with one tongue there will be no light at the end of the tunnel. (Saying in my country meaning that there is a good future coming).
I wish you all the best and that your politicians and leaders and prophets find out that peace is not too bad.

Just because you are a PHD holder doesn’t mean anything you say or write is always truthful. Most people including educated individuals like you can sometimes write in support of one side of warring parties based on how they personally feel toward the other side.
Dr. Aduok, my instinct tells me that you are neither clean of this mess nor neutral as any other responsible citizen would. Should I say you “were” an inspiration as a true patriot and an educated elder of South Sudan to most young individuals like myself, but your current statements on this ongoing conflict is deemed completely out of whack and lacking in term of evidences.
In your writing above you posed that Salva Kiir has shot himself in the foot…this is incredible, President Kiir who on Monday was on TV screens worldwide announcing that his forces had crushed an attempt coup is now saying that it was not a coup. Would you please provide us with incredible evidences, including audio, or written statements in which he (Kiir) referred to current military mess as not a coup????? Please do so!

Mr Adwok,
how older you are and how educated you may be, a traitor always remains to betray his own people. I thought you are a learned and an elder who can tell truths but in this article of yours there is bias and your side indicated that you are part of this unfolding situation in South Sudan. The history will never forgive you.
if I can ask you, who started shooting in Juba ?why did it spread to Bilpam and new site? and why r u hiding if you have no hands in it.?

Stop putting too much SALT on the soup on the matter in Juba event! The number of people who were died in fighting in the barrack,in the headquarter,they were all soldiers. They were not only from Nuer soldiers alone! There were Dinka soldiers too there and other soldiers in other tribes who were caught in fighting unprecedented! There were no any ethnic cleansing to be exacted against Nuer in the tribe in Juba particular! Nuer people in the tribe, should not be mistaken!! They must think twice!

Remember that those who escaped with Riak Machar,on outstanding warrant arrest,they are not from Nuer people alone! Let us not exaggerate things from simple to worst! We need peace in the country! If Riak wants to be a president in the South, that will be up to South Sudanese themselves to decide for him whether to vote for him or not! I DO NOT LIKE ANARCHY! OUR PROBLEM IN THE SOUTH WITH SUDAN,IT HAS NOT OVER YET!!!! OK? Have a nice day! Merry Christmas and prosperous new year 2014! Stay calm! Everything will be fine! This is internal home affairs among the children!

Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba,
Thank you very much for being in touch with the ordinary people of South Sudan despite the situation you are in- stay safe. Our president pretending to be a man of God by always going to church- what a hypocrisy! What a man! killing his own people only a week away from Christmas. Unbelievable! God have Mercy on the defenceless people of South Sudan!
“Leaders comes Leaders goes, but South Sudan will remain forever”

Dear Dr Adwok,
“Now this power which I have belongs to you. You fought for it now some people want to snatch it from you! ” Now as for the rest of the statement in Dinka language I don’t really care what it said nor what it actually meant or means. And why should I since I am not a Dinka, Salva Kiir’s presidency excludes me so why should I care? It was Rebecca Nyandeng who first disclosed publicly that Nuer ethnic group were being targeted in Juba.
L Garang G, you see no amount of spin doctoring will save Kiir. He is a dead man thankfully by his own design. But of course those whom he appealed to will fight for him to the end. The only good thing with humans is that when they are pushed to fight for their survival, they will do it to the end. Lunatic Kiir should have known that in a tribally based society, he is not the only one who will benefit from tribal affiliations. He should therefore not be surprised that Peter Gadet will not stand by and see his ethnic group be annihilated while he and other Nuer watch.
Some section of our population are so allergic to the truth, but Salva and Co. Have indeed shot themselves in the foot and with all their satanic political manipulations, can never get out of this one. The old saying goes: do not disturb a sleeping dog?
Poor Salva Kiir, what ever came into his confused mind. Even Impregnanting that poor teenage choirester could not rest his soul in peace. Now let’s see how his mentor Museveni can rescue him. Museveni has set Kiir’s house on fire and must be enjoying South Sudan’s petrodollars on top.
To Kiir’s supporter your blind man has ruined his legacy. For Riek and Co. South Sudan belongs to everybody. All South Sudanese not just Kiir’s clan people have died for the liberation. Dr. Riek Machar whether some of this tribalistic like it or not, you are entitled to contest for presidency. If Kiir can keep himself in power by recruiting 3000 clan militia, why does he think others can not do the same.
It is unfortunate that lives have to be lost for the political destiny of our country to be properly charted. If anyone thinks you will not win elections, they should not be afraid of your declaration to contest for the highest office in the land. It is unfortunate Kiir didn’t tell his Warrap audience that he (Kiir) only won the elections because he got sympathy votes of John Garang. Now that Garang’s son and widow have thrown their lot with the movement for change, let’s see how many votes Kiir will get. Even Dr. Lam may beat him this time around.
All in all, thanks Dr Nyaba for giving accurate insider account of the story. South Sudan has a lot of educated elite whose pens must not be silenced. Lets see if the pens will not indeed be mightier than the guns. No succumbing to thuggery intimidation or blackmail. South Sudan must be liberated from this accidental primitive medieval lunatic possing as our president. I’m totally ashamed and embarrassed of being associated with Kiir,s South Sudan. Ofcourse if his Warrap kins people don’t want to share power and wealth with the rest of Southerners’ then the solution is clear, 2 regions against one plus Western Bahar El Ghazal, how does that sound?
LONG LIVE RIEK MACHAR
LONG LIVE PETER GADET
LONG LIVE MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE WITHIN THE SPLM
LONG LIVE MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE OUTSIDE THE SPLM
NO REVERSE GEAR FOR THE COWBOY PLEASE!!!

Yesterday it was Murle children and women killed in cold blood, by Nuer and Dinka upon blessings of Kiir Mayardit, a war criminal rebel turned dictator tyrant president. Today the same Kiir Mayardit is responsible for all the crimes against innocent Nuer civilians killed here in Juba, just because they were Nuer. Next time it will be Dinka who will be victimized in the same way by the same criminals addicted to war crimes. This notorious war criminal is called Salva Kiir Mayardit, the president of South Sudan.

Lukudu Gatkouth Garang.
get update from oil field Bentiu and Malakal today. will your dictator Kirr mayaredit survive for next three money the last oil money he give to Uganda saying that he is paying the loans of 4.5 bn $.?
did Dinka who kill Nuer civilians like Kuol Manyang care about the lives of their people in Bor?
what about if Nuer think the way they think and revenge against those dinka in Bor?
if we talk about the country your president should have to think of its outcome.
i was in Juba since the beginning of the fighting until now, i learnt that those Nuer who were killed were those in service in the government, students and women and children.
who in the first place think that the issue was for government that it nothing to do with killing of the civilians, unfortunately the kirr government turn theirs guns to the civilians in an unexpected situation the civilians think the president was for the all nation turned dinka president now in the day 15,16 and 17 of DEC. 2013 he was busy killing Nuer civilians days and night. those who survived in areas such as Gundele and 107 were those who immediately realized afterwards that issue now become tribal not government case according to Rebecca on the BBC interviews of 17 Dec.

Dinka are making premature celebration yet the war still going on. can killing of civilians be celebrated? only Dinka government on earth do that to theirs fellow citizens. we capture Bor but we don’t kill civilians only 19+3 children who died in river Nile these make up 22 people die in crossfire.
south sudan will never be same again.

Thank you Dr. Peter for giving us the details for the current state for of the crises in South Sudan. Based on the facts provided, it is so important that every South Sudanese should know that what has happened to our brothers and sisters from the Nuers will also happen to other tribes if Kirr is not removed from power. Any reasonable person could know that South Sudan today is run by a Mercenary aided by blood thirsty clan members. Therefore it is the duty of every South Sudanese to join hands to remove this cancer called Kirr from the presidency of South Sudan. If we don’t act collectively now, then please rest assured that our collective existence is doomed for ever. Some people may remain passive, but at the end Kirr will get them too. As to all those ministers that are serving under Kirr, what is stopping you from resigning from this evil government that murders its own citizens!!!!! Maybe Kirr should appoint his presidential militia to the ministerial posts and retain only those ministers that participated in the evil plan of genocide!

akolf,
what prevents us from getting good leaders is tribalism, nothing else can prevent us from getting good leaders. we have so many good leaders from smaller tribes but they have being neglected because of tribal politics in south sudan and in the other hand the people of suoth sudan.
Since an illiteracy of 90% of it population they put their support based on the tribal men and women, they don’t know anything about the leaders.

How on earth calling the cattle raiders collected from the cattle camps to be presidential guards only in south sudan and Uganda.
illiterate person has a lot of disadvantage in term of security because he/ she may not have reasoning capacity like educated person who knows Universe knowledge.

Mr. Ad wok is biased and support the prophet of doom mr. Riek. Why… Can you explain what happened in bor if this was a fight between riek and Kiir. Why riek is targeting bor citizens as he did in 1991, now destroying the little development and investment that was done in the city of bor for the past eight years. Many bor citizens are being removed by this so called presidential decrees by Kiir and they have never pickup a weapon and rebelled and had contributed to the freedom of this country more than any other citizen in this country. Why… Riek had been the Vice President since garang died in 2005. In 2010 during election, riek accepted the change to the interim constitution which had the term limit, president Had no business firing elected officials. If riek was a democratic human being, as the country vice president holding a PhDs, he should have protested two things from the beginning too make his case against Kiir if he really support democracy. 1. Term limit. 2. Firing of elected official in the whole nation by the president.

Thank you Dr. Adwok. It was not a coup we all know even the media where describing the current situation before liberation council started. the killing of Nuer in Juba is the course of escalation of fighting through South Sudan. Salva kir will never have peace through his life, I wish he could have resigned some months back. but he has changed if he has wisdom, otherwise he will die like the president of Libya.

there will be nothing to quiet our guns and else by democracy,
our motivated allies are the stronger in Africa military capability.
we shall salva kirr untill he accepte democracy or end up like Gadafi of Libya,
we are advancing toward Juba as per today, the nine of January 2014 will be different day for people of south sudan.

Thanks for detailing what led to war to the general public on what we call ‘fabricated Coup’. The World is well aware of Political situation in the Country that is why non of them condemned it. Therefore, he has only one option to release the current political detainees or face tough measures against…….

Very soon, Salva Kiir will carry his own cross to salute the dead on a special function organized by blood of these innocent citizens. The cause always Judge and Sentence the quilty before Almighty God.

I am confident that Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit will not lead South Sudanese to the Third Anniversary of January 9th, 2014 as a Legitimate President, somebody else will……..

As Mengistu of Ethiopia was trying to spread socialism into other African countries, the current Ethiopian “leaders” – the fascists from Tigray/TPLF are trying to spread ethnicity and does not want peace in Ethiopia and the region so take care that they will not mess in your politics.